Euphorbia plant named ‘Innthal’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Euphorbia  plant named ‘Innthal’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; early flowering habit; large dark green-colored flower bracts; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia amygdaloides×Euphorbia characias ssp.wulfenii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Innthal’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia amygdaloides×Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Innthal.

The new Euphorbia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Euphorbia plants with attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Euphorbia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in the spring of 1998 of the Euphorbia amygdaloides cultivar Purpurea, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with an unnamed selection of Euphorbia characias ssp. wulfenii, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Euphorbia was discovered and selected as a single plant from within the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany in the spring of 1999.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings since May, 1999 in Gensingen, Germany has shown that the unique features of this new Euphorbia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Innthal have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Innthal’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Innthal’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early flowering habit.     -   4. Large dark green-colored flower bracts.     -   5. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Euphorbia differed from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Purpurea in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Purpurea.     -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Purpurea.     -   3. Plants of the new Euphorbia had green-colored foliage whereas         plants of the cultivar Purpurea had burgundy-colored foliage.     -   4. Plants of the new Euphorbia flowered earlier than plants of         the cultivar Purpurea.     -   5. Plants of the new Euphorbia had rounded inflorescences         whereas plants of the cultivar Purpurea had elongated         inflorescences.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Euphorbia differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia were more compact than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia and the male parent selection         differed in flower bract coloration.     -   3. Plants of the new Euphorbia had rounded inflorescences         whereas plants of the male parent selection had cylindrical         inflorescences.

Plants of the new Euphorbia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbia cultivar Imprefant, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/113,385. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Euphorbia differed from plants of the cultivar Imprefant in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia had green-colored leaves whereas         plants of the cultivar Imprefant had burgundy-colored leaves.     -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia were more freely flowering than         plants of the cultivar Imprefant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Euphorbia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Inneuphhel’.

The photograph at that bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Inneuphhel’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., in an outdoor nursery during the spring and summer under full sun conditions with day temperatures ranging from 10° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranging from 2° to 21° C. After planting rooted cuttings, plants were grown for about 22 weeks with one plant per 12.5-cm container. Plants were pinched one time. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia amygdaloides×Euphorbia characias     ssp.wulfenii cultivar Innthal. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Euphorbia amygdaloides cultivar Purpurea, not             patented.         -   Male parent.—Unnamed selection of Euphorbia characiasssp.             wulfenii, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 20 days at temperatures of 20°             C.         -   Root description.—Fine, white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact and mounded plant             habit; upright to somewhat outwardly spreading; inverted             triangle; perennial subshrub. Moderate growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, usually about ten lateral             branches develop per plant; dense and bushy plant form.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 26 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm. Internode length: About 6 mm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: 145A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate to whorled; simple.         -   Length.—About 6.3 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.         -   Venation.—Pinnate, arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 147B. Fully developed foliage, upper             surface: 147A. Mature foliage, lower surface: More gray than             147B. Venation, upper surface: 145B. Venation, lower             surface: 146D.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 144A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—Spring to summer in Southern             California; flowering continuous during this period.         -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in             umbel-like compound terminal cymes. Freely flowering with             about 120 flower buds and flowers per plant. Flowers face             upright and outwardly. Flowers persistent. Flowers not             fragrant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 14 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 7 mm.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days.         -   Floral bracts.—Quantity/arrangement: Two; opposite. Length:             About 1.25 to 1.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Orbicular.             Apex: Rounded and emarginate. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous; smooth. Color:             When opening and fully expanded, upper surface: 147A. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: 147B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.         -   Cyathia.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape:             Oval; eight terminal points; sessile. Aspect: Upright.             Color: 145A.         -   Nectaries.—Quantity per flower: About four. Shape: Lunate.             Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Color: 145A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity: About three to             four stamens per cyathia. Shape: Oval, bi-lobed. Length:             Less than 1 mm. Color: 145C. Pollen: Scarce. Pollen color:             12A. Gynoecium: Quantity: One per cyathia. Pistil length:             About 6 mm. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: 145D.             Stigma shape: Six-parted. Stigma color: 144B. Ovary color:             145D.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Euphorbia not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Euphorbia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Euphorbia are tolerant to     temperatures as low as −6° C. and as high as 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Euphorbia plant named ‘Innthal’, as illustrated and described. 